Editorial: New Winsted comment policy unnecessary

In this file photo from 2013, Stephen Kosinski was the first in a parade of audience members criticizing the Winsted Board of Selectmen’s limits on public comment during meetings.
Register Citizen File Photo

The Winsted Board of Selectmen has once again updated its public comment policy.

The new policy, which was approved in a 5-2 vote in March, is meant to keep speakers on topic, eliminate abusive language and limit commenters to two three-minute sessions – once before unfinished and new business and once afterward.

The policy specifically says the public can only comment on set issues on the agenda, and it puts in writing that the selectmen have no obligation to respond or answer questions raised during the meeting. Other portions of the policy that were passed included not allowing residents to engage with other audience members.

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The proposed policy originally included language preventing “personal complaints or defamatory comments about the Board of Selectmen members,” or “anyone connected with the Town or any individual, firm or corporation,” but this was scratched after a brief debate among members with input from legal counsel.

While the state’s open meeting law guarantees the public access to meetings, it does not mandate that the public should have a right to speak at these meetings. It is up to each public board or commission to grant that right.

We feel, however, that allowing people to publicly address his or her elected officials benefits democracy and should be given a high priority. Any rules or regulations attempting to limit what is said or how it is being said should be discouraged.

Comments or questions should be addressed during the public portion of a meeting, as it is in the public’s best interest to know how its government operates. Were a response to be given at a later time, perhaps in writing, that response becomes a public document and should be shared with other board members as well as the public at large.

While there is nothing wrong with having a policy setting up basic rules for speaking at a meeting, it is sad that such specific rules the board proposed here should ever be required. If people would exercise some courtesy and common sense – including members of the board – there would be no need for such a strict policy.